Stanley D. Geffen

Tax Shareholder

Background

Is it possible to have had a long, storied and successful career as a professional accountant, serving clients and industries from across the professional landscape, even while your name is on the masthead, and still maintain a sense of humor? Stan Geffen believes so. “It’s essential. I laugh at myself every day. You have to in this business. Otherwise, you run the risk of getting a big head.” The simple start of Stan’s career, dating back to the 1950s, was driven by the desire to ensure he could find work in the future. “I knew I could find a job in the accounting field, and the work itself came fairly easily. There was no calculus involved.” Stan also understands that the business is really about people. “Henry Blauer was one of my earliest mentors, back when the firm was Sussman and Blauer, and he remained my mentor throughout my career. He was an extremely bright guy, and he absolutely loved his clients. What I learned from him, and what anyone should pick up in the profession, is that clients are the key. That was our emphasis in the early days, and it’s still the essence of what the firm is today.”

As the firm changed shape over time, finally becoming Geffen Mesher, Stan appreciates how past efforts continue to pay dividends. “We went from being Blauer, Geffen and Mesher to merging with Laventhal and Horwath, and finally breaking away and becoming Geffen Mesher. Each step provided new opportunities to learn and grow. Over time, as we’ve discovered what it takes to run a successful business, our clients are the ones who are truly better off for it.”

EDUCATION

Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, Accounting, University of Oregon, 1954 Certified Public Accountant, Oregon

Key To Success

“Relationships matter, but you have to be willing to speak up and be honest, even if it’s not what your clients want to hear. It’ll be better for your clients in the long run. If you’re not honest, you’re not doing your clients any favors.”